The present invention is generally directed to a fluid flow valve assembly, and, more particularly, to a valve assembly for a sprinkler wet standpipe used to monitor and control water released to downstream sprinklers of a fire suppression sprinkler system.
Fire suppression sprinkler systems designed for protection of commercial and non-commercial properties include some combination or all of a control valve, a check valve, a water flow detection switch, a test valve, a drain valve and a pressure relief valve. A control valve is utilized to allow water flow to the sprinklers downstream thereof to be selectively shut off, e.g., for maintenance purposes. A check valve permitting fluid flow therethrough in one direction but preventing fluid flow therethrough in an opposing direction retains fluid and pressure downstream in the fire protection system so that during periods such as supply side system maintenance, fluid and pressure are retained in the system downstream of the check valve. A flow detection switch is utilized at least to sound an alarm when the sprinklers are activated. A test valve is utilized for testing of the sprinkler system and a drain valve is utilized for draining the sprinkler system, e.g., also for maintenance related purposes. A pressure relief valve is utilized to ensure that the water pressure within the sprinkler system does not surpass a safe level.
These items are available individually from various commercial suppliers. Conventionally, the test and drain valves, the pressure relief valve and the water flow detection switch are mounted separately to respective conduits along a large manifold/network of piping proximate the control valve and/or check valve during installation of sprinkler systems. Consequently, the manifold of piping of the sprinkler system has a relatively large footprint, is costly to manufacture and is both time consuming, complicated and costly to assemble. As one example, the largest sprinkler system control valves (eight inches or more in diameter), in combination with the piping manifold, conduits and accessories mounted thereon, typically weigh several hundred pounds.
Moreover, in order to comply with certification and licensure requirements, automatic fire sprinkler systems are required to be periodically inspected and tested in accordance with the industry accepted standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (“NFPA”). One such inspection is an inspection of the check valve every five years, ensuring free movement of the moving valve component(s); inspecting the valve seat for damage which could permit water leakage and checking the overall internal health of the valve. Often the check valve must be removed in order to perform the inspection and/or for replacement. As the check valve is positioned in the water flow pathway, drainage of the entire system prior to testing becomes necessary, which is very cumbersome.
Moreover, dissolved oxygen, i.e., the volume of oxygen contained in water, is a corrosive agent, and the concentration of dissolved oxygen is directly proportional to the corrosion rate of metal. Oxygen enters water, in part, by the transfer of oxygen across the air-water interface. Therefore, draining the water within a sprinkler system, which has been exposed to less oxygen, in order to test the check valve and then re-introducing fresh water into the sprinkler system thereafter effectively replaces water having a lower dissolved oxygen concentration with water having a greater dissolved oxygen concentration, adding to the overall corrosion rate of internal components of the sprinkler system over time.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to manufacture a control valve assembly having a compact footprint, with the control valve and the check valve, the flow detection switch, the test valve, the drain valve and an adjustable pressure relief module, or some combination thereof, thereby eliminating the large manifold of piping and the associated footprint, as well as minimizing the cost and time of manufacture and complex assembly thereof. It would be further advantageous to manufacture such a control valve assembly with the ability to isolate and access the check valve in the water flow path, enabling inspection and/or maintenance thereof without requiring drainage of the entire system.